←back to thread

Bhutan, after prioritizing happiness, now faces an existential crisis

(www.cbsnews.com)
271 points nradov | 2 comments | 18 Nov 24 13:53 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
Show context
insane_dreamer ◴[18 Nov 24 15:28 UTC] No.42173228[source]▶
Another factor not mentioned is that Bhutan is a tiny and quite isolated country; it's not at all unexpected that young people, who now have the means to go to other countries, would do so. It's a pretty natural thing. It's also possible that a number will return at some point -- enough time hasn't passed to see how this plays out.
replies(1): >>42173270 #
1. mrala ◴[18 Nov 24 15:31 UTC] No.42173270[source]▶
The article literally states this fact:

> Bhutan, which is about the size of Maryland, was largely isolated from the rest of the world for centuries. The kingdom was so protective of its unique Buddhist culture that it only started allowing foreign tourists to visit in the 1970s and didn't introduce television until 1999.

replies(1): >>42178431 #
2. insane_dreamer ◴[18 Nov 24 23:34 UTC] No.42178431[source]▶
yeah, the unmentioned factor I was referencing is not that it's small and isolated, but rather that it's quite logical that young people in such a situation, once given the opportunity, would explore other countries -- and need to emigrate to do so. It's not like a small country like Luxembourg where you can live there but are within a couple of hours' train ride of thriving major cities in half-dozen countries (why emigrate if you can spend weekends in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, etc.).